OXO

HYDRO

Usually made from a by-product of oil-refining

Usually made from starch

Can be recycled as part of a normal plastic waste-stream

Damages recyclate unless extracted from feedstock

Can be made from recyclate

Cannot be made from recyclate

Emits CO2 slowly while degrading

Emits CO2 rapidly while degrading

Inert deep in landfill

Emits methane deep in landfill

Can use same machinery and workforce as for conventional plastic

Needs special machinery and worforce

Suitable for use in high-speed machinery

Not suitable

Compostable in-vessel

Compostable

Little or no on-cost

Four or five times more expensive than conventional plastic

Same strength as conventional plastic

Weaker than conventional plastic

Same weight as conventional plastic

Thicker and Heavier

Leak-proof

Prone to leakage

Degrades anywhere on land or sea

Degrades only in high-microbial environment

Time to degrade can be set at manufacture

Cannot be controlled

No genetically modified ingredients

Possibility of GM ingredients

Safe for food contact

Safe for food contact

No PCB's Organo-chlorines, or "heavy metals"

No PCB's Organo-chlorines, or "heavy metals"

Can be incinerated with high energy-recovery

Can be incinerated, but lower calorific value

Production uses no fertilisers, pesticides or water

Production uses fertilisers, pesticides and water

No limit on availability of feedstock

Limited availability of feedstock

Demand for oxo-biodegradable plastics does not drive up cost of fuel for vehicles

Demand for hydro-biodegradable plastics drives up price of human and animal foodstuffs